6 Best Restaurants in Santa Croce, Florence

This small pizzeria is favored by locals. Make a reservation or come early to grab one of the few tables in front or round the back, and don't mind the fact that service here is intentionally rushed: turning tables is paramount.

At one of Florence's biggest markets, you can grab lunch to go, or you can cram into one of the booths and pour from the straw-cloaked flask (wine here is da consumo, which means they charge you for how much you drink). Food is abundant and Tuscan, service is fast, and locals pack in. The ample menu changes daily (nine secondi are the norm), and the prices are great. On Friday, fish is served. 

This place is always crowded with mostly young folk lingering over non-Italian cups of coffee. Light lunch and brunch are also on offer, and, in between, there's a steady supply of cakes, cookies, and croissants. Cocktail hour means it's time for the "tapas" part of their menu.

Conveniently placed very near the ticket office of the Basilica of Santa Croce, this bar does it all—great coffee, terrific pastries, fine wines by the glass, and tasty sandwiches.

Florentines in the know come here for the deliciously bewildering selection of chocolate- and cream-filled pastries.

You can assemble a perfect dinner, from soup to nuts, at this Florentine favorite, which specializes in whole and half chickens, grilled or roasted. Order takeout or eat in, which is what many locals do.